Program Requirements

What are the entrance requirements?

https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Requirements/

What are the physical/medical requirements?

https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Requirements/

What if I can’t meet the physical fitness standards upon arrival to the unit?

Prospective students should, after being medically cleared, engage in a personal program of physical fitness to ensure they arrive within fitness standards.  Scholarship students who are not able to meet fitness standards will not have their scholarship activated until they meet standards.  Failure to meet standards over a prolonged period of time (greater than one semester) will likely result in disenrollment from the program.

The physical requirements can be found at: https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Requirements/

What are the academic scholarship requirements?

https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Requirements/

Am I limited in the majors that I may choose?

The Navy pays high preference to STEM majors and those students who pursue a STEM major are more competitive for the national scholarship.  The Navy separates majors into a three tier system.  More information about this tier system can be found at: https://www.nrotc.navy.mil/scholarship_criteria.html

Independent of major, all Navy option midshipmen who are on scholarship are required to incorporate Calculus I and II and Physics I and II into their degree plan.

Marine option midshipmen are free to select the major of their choice and are not required to complete Calculus and Physics. 

Can I participate in Naval ROTC if I attend the St. Petersburg or Sarasota campus?

At this time, the USF NROTC is only open to students attending the USF (Tampa campus only) or University of Tampa campuses. Students attending other schools in the Tampa area, including USF-St. Petersburg and USF-Sarasota/Manatee, are not eligible to participate.

 Which medical conditions may disqualify you from the Naval ROTC program?

For a full list of medical questions, please visit: https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Naval-Service-Training-Command/NROTC/Requirements/.

Can my high school AP Calculus and AP Physics credits earned be applied to my calculus and physics requirement?

Yes, for first semester Calculus and Physics classes only. Students may not use high school credits to fulfill both semesters of the requirement for Calculus and Physics. The second or higher semester of Calculus and Physics must be taken at the University of South Florida/University of Tampa.

Does acceptance by the NROTC program ensure that will be able to attend USF or UT?

No, USF and UT admissions are a separate process from NROTC admissions.  Students must apply and gain admittance through the normal admissions process at USF or UT.

What is the latest I can join the NROTC battalion as a college program student?

Students should apply no later than the end of the spring semester to qualify for the admittance to the following fall semester.

Can I change my major once I'm enrolled in the program?

If you desire to attempt a more technical major or move laterally then you will be able to change majors without issue. A board will be held to determine which students will be approved for a change of major to a less technical degree. 

My SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA aren’t the best.  Do I have any shot at a scholarship?

Yes. Our scholarship boards take a holistic approach to your application, taking into consideration all aspects of your resume.

SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA are important for the four-year scholarship, as they are an indicator of potential to succeed in college. However, those items are not factored into competition for our three- and two-year scholarships. Instead, they are replaced by college GPA. As such, if a student does not earn a four-year scholarship but comes into college and performs well academically, he or she can be competitive for a three- or two-year scholarship.

If you are concerned about your SAT/ACT scores for the four-year scholarship, we recommend taking a SAT/ACT preparation course and retaking the exam to improve your scores.